Pet Ducks Dumped in Neighborhood Pond, Help?

[DuckyDonna]

that could work! I can see the pond too in this picture. Maybe you could put the fence all around the trees and you could move their little ark nearer to the trees too. That might be cute! The trees will get bigger eventually too! by then you'll want a flock of ducks!I just reread your post and yes, the duck pool water can be baled into the area where the trees are and they will love it witll all that good duck poo water!
Oh and one more thing before I go to bed. For shade you could also do something similar to the way you made your ark. I just took 2 pallets and made them a little "fort" with the ends completly open and no floor. Just lean them against each other. They like to get in it for nap time during the summer.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't want to overwhelm you but another very important part of keeping ducks [poultry] is ventilation. If they don't have adequate they can become sick from the ammonia build up inside their houses. So it's very important they have good ventilation. Here is an article on ventilation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/

 

[SansDuck]

8

I don't want to overwhelm you but another very important part of keeping ducks [poultry] is ventilation. If they don't have adequate they can become sick from the ammonia build up inside their houses. So it's very important they have good ventilation. Here is an article on ventilation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/

Dont worry, we are not overwhelmed.

We did tons of research before building the duck ark, and read about the ventilation importance

The front and back windows are the main ventilation, letting air come from the front to the back.

and for side ventilation, we let about half a inch of space between the boards to let cross through ventilation through the sides of the ark.


What's your opinion? Should we add more ventilation and were would we need it?

 

[SansDuck]

that could work! I can see the pond too in this picture. Maybe you could put the fence all around the trees and you could move their little ark nearer to the trees too. That might be cute! The trees will get bigger eventually too! by then you'll want a flock of ducks!I just reread your post and yes, the duck pool water can be baled into the area where the trees are and they will love it witll all that good duck poo water!
Oh and one more thing before I go to bed. For shade you could also do something similar to the way you made your ark. I just took 2 pallets and made them a little "fort" with the ends completly open and no floor. Just lean them against each other. They like to get in it for nap time during the summer. View attachment 1674808

You are right, the trees would love the duckies poo water.

Before summer, I think that's our new plan.
To either move the ark/pin closer to the tress or, just expanded the run/pin to the trees.

Give them more area and things to do, plus the added shade.

The pallet idea is great back up plan, in case the trees dont provided enough shade for them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I see now looks good. The cross ventilation, now with the half inch slates if any wider you’d need hardware cloth since mink and weasel can get through 1” spaces if you can move the ark where it doesnt get full sun all day long like maybe morning sun but shade in afternoon they should be fine. Have they come out yet?

 

[SansDuck]

I see now looks good. The cross ventilation, now with the half inch slates if any wider you’d need hardware cloth since mink and weasel can get through 1” spaces if you can move the ark where it doesnt get full sun all day long like maybe morning sun but shade in afternoon they should be fine. Have they come out yet?

Thank you Miss Lydia for all of your help these past few days, you have been awesome.

They have had their duck ark for about 23 days now, and they have been outside in the pen about four times now.

I'm honestly a little worried we might of messed them up.

You see before we built the pen, the ducks were going to be free range durning the day, and locked durning the night.

So we got the bright idea to look up online on how to free range ducks, and came across this thread;

https://www.selfsufficientculture.c...-ducks-to-free-range-return-to-their-pen.920/

Snice we didnt have a pen yet, we kept them in their duck ark for the recommended week. I feel horrible about it, but I didnt know was what else to do.

We provide fresh water/food/ every few hours, and cleaned around them the week they were in duckie jail.

And in the time they were in jail, we were able to build them the current pen, they are using now.

I just feel bad, because now it seems like they want to stay in the ark 24/7.

Snice the end of Duckie jail, we have left the door open durning the day.

But sometimes they stay inside the whole day, until we lock them up at sundown.

I am getting a little worried about them getting enough excercise.
But snice its winter time, maybe it's too cold outside for them.

This could be their first winter, and today we had freezing rain.

Also could it do anything with mating? Before we built them the ark, I never saw them mate.

But now they mate almost everytime they get fresh water, maybe they feel safer now?

Also I forgot to mention dates in my original post;

They were dropped of into the pond around; December 11 2018

The death of the beautiful third duck was on; January 16 2019

Building of the duck ark began; January 21 2019

Completed duck ark; January 22 2019

Duckie jail began; January 23 2019

Building of duck pen began; January 25 2019

Duckie jail ended; January 29 2019

Updated duck pen with chicken wire; February 3 2019

What is your opinion Miss Lydia?
Do you think they are staying inside the duck ark because of the cold?
Maybe because they began mating or because we messed up and kept them locked up for a week?

I would love to know your opinion on this.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You did not mess up we rec when getting new ducks you always keep them penned up for at least a week. So no problem there. They look pretty young so possibly they have just started mating. And of course they are liking it lol. With the weather your having that could be one reason they are staying inside I would put their food and water outside any way someone could make a small shelter to put the food under to keep it dry it will cut down on wetness inside and give them incentive to come outside even if they go back in after they eat and drink. Not many of us put food and water inside for our water fowl they are just so messy then you have to worry about moldy bedding. Wet frozen bedding too. Y’all have done so much for these two munchkins I can’t imagine they could be unhappy they have to feel so secure which they may not ever had security. Once they find the little pools you have in there for them they will love it. Be sure if you decide to keep their food and water outside that you put it up away from predators at night.

 

[SansDuck]

@Cayuga momma @DuckyDonna @Miss Lydia

Again, I want to apologize about my typing error on the cedar shaving, I really should of checked before posting.

I believe everything we are using is duck safe, but i would like to get opinions on better stuff we could be using.

And I know we need to get supplements, I think we can get b-complex at the feed store.

But when it comes to the brewers yeast, is that something you can find easily at Walmart?

Duck bedding

Straw

pine shavings

Ducks food

16% layer feed

Ducks treats

crickets and quack snacks (meal worms are on the list)

And finally, incase we have a family

Food bowl/ water dish;

Water dish is on the left, food bowl on the right.


Everything we have now is from our local feed store, but I know we still need more supplies for the ducks.

I just get kinda confused walking into the feed store, and it seems like they catered more for raising chickens then ducks.

Do I have to question if the bag of food that has a picture of a chicken on it, is safe for ducks to eat?

Some bags say "all poultry" on it, are chickens, ducks, and turkeys similar in care?

And the employees at the feed store, sometimes are not the most helpful either.

For any duck owner, what is the most important supplies to always have on hand?

 

[WunnySharbit]

I have really enjoyed watching this thread, and I hate to rain on everyone's parade.....

I have had sooooo much trouble with predators--ESP neighbors' dogs and cats and now raccoons (kitty dishes and bird feeders from 9 new houses and 4-6 'new' neighbors after the older folks passed on). Leaving food outside in an unsecured area is a pred magnet! A "makeshift" fence will NOT deter dogs or raccoons--the average loose dog will easily clear a 4' fence to 'play.' Raccoons and weasels/minks can reach through 1/2 -1" spacing and pull at the animals inside(fence or hutch). Foxes, coyotes, dogs, raccoons, and skunks will also go under. The fence will need to be pretty solid and, since you live in a housing development, attractive. It will need to be sheltered (hidden) from the road(s) to avoid drivers taking potshots at them. If you rent, what does the owner say? Will they help with a fence for your dogs/kids/etc? How is your relationship with your neighbor/neighbor's dog--would they call animal control if they got mad or if the muddy ducky coop got stinky? What if they do hatch ducklings, how will you keep them safe (from cats, esp), and how would that affect your pen design? (You might want to hunt down their nest for a little ducky birth control?)

I really do think what you've done is great and hope for the best for all of you!

 

[SansDuck]

You did not mess up we rev when getting new ducks you always keep them penned up for at least a week. So no problem there. They look pretty young so possibly they have just started mating. And of course they are liking it lol. With the weather your having that could be one reason they are staying inside I would put their food and water outside any way someone could make a small shelter to put the food under to keep it dry it will cut down on wetness inside and give them incentive to come outside even if they go back in after they eat and drink. Not many of us put food and water inside for our water fowl they are just so messy then you have to worry about moldy bedding. Wet frozen bedding too. Y’all have done so much for these two munchkins I can’t imagine they could be unhappy they have to feel so secure which they may not ever had security. Once they find the little pools you have in there for them they will love it.

Miss Lydia, you are a genius.

I think you are absolutely right, we are spoiling them too much.

They have full access to 24/7 to food, water, and, bathroom, plus treats, why would they want to leave the ark?

I cant believe I didnt realize that!

I guess I assumed they would want fresh air, but their duck ark is nicely ventilated.

Also the small shelter over the food idea is a great tip to keep it dry outside.
I have a few ideas already!

Alright, starting tomorrow they get no more food/water inside their duck ark.

If they want it, they will have to come outside into the pen for it.

Oh geez, that's going to keep their ark so much cleaner!
We have been changing bedding out almost everyday lol

Thank you so much Miss Lydia for all of your help, you are amazing!